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Not for me unfortunately. What I'm seeing on the field is pleasing and different to many of the false dawns I've witnessed in the past. However my MFCSS is so ingrained that I keep expecting the wheels to fall off at every turn. Only a premiership will alleviate the negativity that I have in my head and my heart and even then it will only be a band aid until the next season. Perhaps a three-peat will help ...

I’ve seen nothing so far to suggest we are getting ahead of ourselves personally. I saw a team refusing to lose last Saturday night.

I don't know him personally, but a shout out to Channel 7's Chief Football Reporter, Mark Stevens, who has just had surgery for bowel cancer. https://www.epworth.org.au/newsroom/tv-journalist-undergoes-cancer-surgery And just a reminder for everyone else, particularly those over 50, to get checked regularly.

David Teague just walked past me during school pickup this afternoon. Snuck in a sneaky "Go Dees" and the smirk on his face changed into a look of worry and sorrow. He knows what's coming this weekend. Dees by 6 goals.

I like Thursday Night Footy as long as it's not us playing

Big shout out to Mantis. It appears he/she has actually watched us play unlike most of the numpties posting in that thread - “They zone as well as any side does, covering the opposition moves forward or on a rebound. They leave minimal opportunities to have players float forward free in space. They tackle with intensity. They apply pressure with numbers. They make every opportunity for their opponents become a contested possession. Due to the fact that they have a huge work rate. Not lazy. Not left second guessing. The only weak link in their armour is the clearance figures. Which at the moment doesn’t hurt them. They find a way to put on the press and create a turnover and get the ball on their terms eventually. If we played like they do. If we were 8 wins from 8 games. We would be bragging about being flag favourites. Fact is that we are so far behind them, that we are not even in the same league as they are. It will take a miracle for us to even show a competitive contest against the Dees. Which won’t last long enough if it does happen. The end result will be ugly on the scoreboard. We lack awareness under pressure. We lose our direct opponent too often when the heat is on. We zone space very poorly. We don’t stay accountable for what out opponent is doing or where he is running. We don’t run hard both ways. We don’t stand on the mark in a free kick. We float away and let them play on which allows them to gain ground and put pressure on our players up the ground. We finger point and blame others for our own mistakes. We do spoil and the one percentage plays, but not often enough. Not for 4 quarters. The Dees coach summed up their last game. They lack some polish with clearance work. However, if they have the grit and determination to win every contest, they will eventually create a turnover and play the next passage on their terms. They are confident they can and will win every game, and thus play accordingly. In my eyes they only have one lazy player. One that I have seen so far. What a problem they have at the moment. Can we swap players lists, coaches, board etc? lol. Good luck to us. We could win this one by 100 points. Haha haha.”

Will they announce the teams at half time?

Trust takes time to build. We’ve been conditioned for over 50 years to expect the wheels to fall off. It takes more than 8 games in March and April to build trust again.

Nobody's interested in hearing about your IQ, Craig.

Come talk to me when you have to play down in f&$/& Geelong every year!

Why do you think Carlton are our bogey side? We've beaten them the last 5 times we've played them.

Couple of times they pointed out we had a poor game against the swans and were very lucky to win, I think that’s underestimating Sydney by a huge amount. They played well,

… and having a whinge about it.

Keyser Söze

I want the dogs to win as I would rather be 3 games clear of 3rd than 2 games clear of second. There is no difference between 1st and 2nd.

There's a reason why the best teams tend to at, or near, the top in terms of least scores against. It's because strong defence is far more consistent than strong offense. Defences are systematic, so a good team can rely on their defence even when they aren't playing well. The best offenses can blow teams off the park in a matter of minutes, but it's much harder to rely on attacking brilliance, especially when the pressure of finals steps up. I think we win this comfortably because Carlton hasn't demonstrated the ability to defend well when they aren't playing well. They can stay with us for long periods of time, as most teams will, but they've gone to water defensively for periods in each game they've played and let through multiple consecutive goals. Given that we are unlikely to do that, we will probably win by the number of goals that we kick when Carlton have their defensive lapse. But footy can be a funny game sometimes.

MFCSS is very much alive. Each year brings a reminder. Last year it was Cairns and this year until the ten minute mark of the last quarter it could have been North Melbourne. Even if we go through the season relatively undefeated one just cannot help but think we'll stuff up the finals. MFCSS = Lowering one's expectations and thus preventing disappointment

I think Joan Kirner was a man. So, yes...

Agreed. I heard Craig Jennings on SEN talking about how you stop Melbourne - start with Gawn, tag Pickett, man up defensively on lever and try and limit Petracca from the stoppage. Swans got 4 out of 4 of those and still lost!

3 frees in a row not given to St Kilda- two throws and Cameron dropping the ball

Huh? We are in the Sunday FTA slot, the other game is the junk slot

I wont be the least surprised if we lose and I'll be rapt if we win.

I was never a MFCSS sufferer, so this season has just been very enjoyable. But I have noticed that the season has made a lot of supporters uncomfortable, probably because they are torn. They know that we are a good team, but they've defined their whole supporter experience as being that of a loser. Losing is their comfort zone. They know all the jokes about their team being terrible. They know how to react when someone says they're terrible but don't know how to react when we're good. Like someone who has just lost 50kg and they still see themselves as a fat person who is masquerading as a skinny person. I think a lot of supporters are still finding their feet as to who they are as football supporters, now that their football world has been tipped upside down. I think it may take some people a long time. Maybe they'll be telling people that they're still a few kilos overweight forever.

They had a hard tag on Pickett.. had nothing to do with the wet.

But, but, but, I thought Hawthorn were... A big club. With hardened, loyal fans who weren't at all soft. Financially well organised. Not inflated by favouritsm at all. Not dependent on pokies revenue. And also, of course, on Mother's Day - The family club.

Big out. In addition to these good points, the tactical flexibility he gives us un terms of they use max has been super important this season. So much more than a player who gives max a chop out. Interestingly maxy said in his captain call bit on he usually makes the call when they swap

With all due respect Hutchy you do not need to start a new thread for every thought that comes into your head.

Craig Hutchison

My trolldar is going crazy. Bells, whistles, sirens, buzzers, red flags and the most accurate of all the sphincter pucker. Danger danger Will Robinson Fe fi fo fum I smell a troll. But I could be wrong, it has happened before, 1965 I remember it well.

Top of the ladder joy: as long as you keep winning at least one team falls further behind you in every other game! Example: If Port beat the Dogs, we go two games clear on top of the ladder. But if the Dogs beat Port we go THREE games clear for securing a top-2 spot. When you're winning, everything is a win. I love that all the club and players have to think about is winning and the rest will take care of itself.

C'mon, pull back from those veiled and open threats. You are both fiesty individuals. "Walk away", it will be better for yourselves, the resultant mental stress and for what the song, "you will never walk alone" is meant to reflect. It is also uncomfortable and a little embarrassing for the browsers to witness. Conflict doesn't have to arise because we have differences. Make some peace within, share that with the community. I hope you are both OK. @Sir Why You Little @Craig Hutchinson

Can you please organise a live stream?

Sorry, but I have to disagree on this point... the Dogs are the one team I really think we’re going to struggle against. They are strong across every line and play a similar pressure game to ours.

Melbourne Football Club Superiority Syndrome...bit soon for me personally but I do like the way we are tracking.

This used to be one of my favourite threads. Reading how each successive team was going to belt us, and then enjoy the melts after. Now, not only do large numbers of opposition supporters show us some respect, but many know far more about Melbourne than I know about their teams. However, taking all things into account, I am a happier supporter now than i was then.

A drunk Sydney supporter also yelled this out after the siren went at the G on Saturday night. I don't get it. How can you be lucky to win a game of footy when you're leading for 85% of the game.

Just about any other season, this could be something written on Demonland about us.

Ahh has there every been a man that did less for this state than our Jeff? Maybe if he got all those pet members to turn up he'd fill the MCG twice over

Here’s your second song

They're good enough. And I think they will if we dont bring our benchmark level of pressure

Too right they did. I am definitely guilty of underestimating them. That said i reckon if we had taken our chances in the second (tracc kozzie, maxy) we might have broken them.

https://www.carltonsc.com/index.php?topic=5505.0 "I think we can beat Melbourne, more on the law of averages, they are due for a loss and just fell in for a win vs the Swans IMO. Brown and McDonald wont present the same problems as Bruce and Naughton plus Oliver is only half the player the Bont is and Cripps owes us a big one. Blues by 16 points, not because we are great but more because Melbourne are getting ahead of themselves, due for a loss and we can defend them better IMO"

Probably a few reasons why Oliver isn’t rated by oppo fans. Ollie wins balls in more clinches and that is not pretty to watch (unless you are one of us). He also does not kick that many goals, take contested marks or look flashy. Clarry also handballs more than he kicks quite often under intense pressure. Although it looks ugly at times, he invariably hits a team mate with those “flukes” although we know it’s more to do with his uncanny ability. Bont is a very good player but Clarry wins a lot more hard balls and IMO therefore more damaging. * Plus what faulty just said!

One thing that continues to surprise me in opposition threads is how many opposition supporters don't rate Oliver as a player. The kid is a jet! There are plenty who do rate him but surely it has to be unanimous to anyone that's ever seen him play. I'm not sure what to put it down to.

I’ll have what she’s having

Well we’ve only beaten teams below us ?.

Over on the Reddit AFL forum, Carlton fans are fuming at the news today that Patrick Cripps has been playing up to his neck in painkillers due to a fractured back which he’s been nursing throughout the entire season. Not sure how a story like this going public actually affects the club’s decisions, but is it possible they will succumb to the scorn of their fans, many of whom are wondering why the club is risking serious long term injury to its biggest star, in a year where such a risk just isn’t worth it.

Personally, I quite enjoyed reading this article/aspect on the Dorks walking in our shoes: The Hawks took the wrong path at ‘a fork in the road’. It’ll take ‘a long time’ to recover https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/hawthorn-hawks/afl-2021-hawthorn-problems-rebuild-jordan-lewis-drafting-jeff-kennett-comments-analysis-afl-360-latest-news/news-story/75bb5bfdade971e552538f35f724d3e6 I won't be truely satisfied though, until they have gone 12+ years without making finals and then another 50 years without another premiership. Maybe they would be relocated and have become the Tassie Devils before that last part though. We might have our own version of the prison bars saga in that instance.

And then they whinge when club's like ours, Saints, North, Dogs need extra funding from the AFL.

It's a great cause but quite frankly I think Port's use of the INXS song is a bit pathetic and yes I have been there and seen it live. You'll Never Walk Alone is owned by Liverpool FC no matter what you say about its R&H origins and it just feels all wrong to me to try to appropriate it. Sorry but I'm not a buyer.